Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS) 2026: Scotland
Farms and crofts in Scotland may be able to get grant funding towards a Ryetec Restorer subsoiler or Zocon seeder through the Scottish Government’s Future Farming Investment Scheme 2026.
About the scheme
FFIS is run through Rural Payments and Services. It funds new equipment that improves soil health, grassland management, efficiency and environmental outcomes on Scottish farms. Applications are scored and ranked, and funding depends on the budget available.
How much funding is available?
- Up to £20,000 of grant per application
- 50% standard grant rate
- 60% for qualifying Highlands and Islands businesses
- 80% for qualifying new entrants
Who is eligible?
- Your farm or croft business must be eligible for FFIS 2026. Check the official scheme guidance.
- The equipment must be new and unused, bought as a complete working machine, and used in your own farm business. Machines bought for contracting work don’t qualify.
- You’ll need a Whole Farm Plan, which means two qualifying audits or plans, such as a soil or carbon audit.
- After buying, you’ll need to submit evidence: invoices, proof of payment, geotagged photos and the machine’s serial number.
Which Ryetec machines are suitable?
Restorer ALD-S low-disturbance toolbar subsoiler
Restorer ALD-E stand-alone subsoiler
Restorer GLD grassland subsoiler
Restorer PHT power harrow toolbar
How to apply
- Read the FFIS 2026 Capital Investment Guide and Scheme Guidance on ruralpayments.org.
- Make sure your Whole Farm Plan audits or plans are in place.
- Contact Ryetec or your local Ryetec dealer for a quote and specifications that show the machine meets the FFIS requirements.
Apply through your Rural Payments and Services account.
Important
Funding decisions are made by the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments and Services, not by Ryetec. Eligibility depends on your business and your application, and Ryetec cannot guarantee funding. Grant figures shown are maximums and assume the grant rate is applied to the Maximum Cost. Check the official guidance before you buy.
Need help?
Contact Ryetec on 01944 728186 for help choosing the right machine or for a quote to include with your application. You can also speak to your local Ryetec dealer.
Why the Restorer?
Compacted soil forms a hidden pan that holds back roots, traps water and increases run-off. Ryetec Restorer machines loosen that layer with very little surface disturbance. This improves drainage and rooting and helps release nutrients, while keeping soil structure, organic matter and the grass sward intact.
FFIS 2026 includes a Soil Health and Reduced Cultivation category and a Grazing and Grassland category.
Why the Zocon Seeder?
Planting Cover crops can protect bare soil over winter reducing erosion and nutrient loss, adding organic matter and improving soil structure ready for the next crop. FFIS 2026 includes a Cover crop air seeder item to help farms establish them.
The Zocon pneumatic seeder can also be mounted an implement you already use, so you can sow cover crops at the same time as another job and save a pass across the field.
Pair it with a Restorer. Fit a Zocon seeder to a Restorer subsoiler to relieve compaction and sow a cover crop in one pass. Both machines are eligible FFIS items, so one application could cover up to £16,500 of eligible cost.
Pair it with a Restorer. Fit a Zocon seeder to a Restorer subsoiler to relieve compaction and sow a cover crop in one pass. Both machines are eligible FFIS items, so one application could cover up to £16,500 of eligible cost.